Inverter Problem

[Five2o]

Hi all
I posted this in another forum but thought I would try here as well. Most likely an easy fix that escapes my brain!

I have a 2010 Itasca Ellipse 42AD with a Dimensions inverter.
It worked fine till now. Now if I push the button to start the inverter it flashes"Overload" and shuts itself off . It makes a loud hum that it didnt do before.
The wierdest thing is that after I shut its breaker off,when I start it it still starts with the hum but my plugs(microwave,tv etc) that the inverter operates try to come on.With the inverter off I start the generater and with the breaker off the inverter plugs stay off!

Somehow I am getting power bypassing the panel...I turned the main breaker of the panel off and inverter still powers the plugs. When using the generater the breakers work.

I am dry camping so no shore power to try.

I have looked for some kind of short in my inverter,transfer switch,apparent wiring ...to no avail.

How could the inverter try to power my coach if the main breaker is off?

Anyway back to look for a short...or something.Any comments appreciated.

[garym114]

Larger inverters installed by the manufacturer usually pass through AC power, when AC is available from the generator or shore power, to loads that are normally powered by the inverter. The inverter does not have to be on for this to work. The inverter should be off when you have AC power to the MH.
With the main AC breaker box inlet breaker open the inverter can still power the MH. That is what it is supposed to do.
Everything you describe, except the overload is supposed to happen.

[FlyingDiver]

When you say "main breaker of the panel", do you mean the main breaker of the primary panel, or the main breaker of the inverter sub-panel? In all the mainstream RVs with large inverters that I've seen, there's one true main panel, and there's a small sub-panel just for the inverter loads. The main panel will have a 20 or 30 amp breaker that feeds the inverter, and the sub-panel will have the same size breaker as it's "main" breaker.

SOME RVs will have inverters without a sub-panel, and the breakers for the inverter loads (usually max of 2 circuits) will be on the inverter itself.

If the real main panel breaker is off, that looks the same to the inverter as not having shore or generator power, and it'll still try to provide power to the sub-panel.

Your inverter might have an auto-cutoff that detects when you have shore/inverter power, and takes itself out of the circuit. Depending on how it's wired, it's possible that having power at the transfer switch (which you will have when the generator is running), the inverter will be shut down even if the main panel's master breaker is off.

So, can you describe the problem again, but be very specific about which panel and which breaker you're talking about?

joe

[Five2o]

Originally Posted by FlyingDiver

When you say "main breaker of the panel", do you mean the main breaker of the primary panel, or the main breaker of the inverter sub-panel?
So, can you describe the problem again, but be very specific about which panel and which breaker you're talking about?

joe

OK I can see I'm getting smarter now....thanks for the responses. I will quit looking for a short since I guess the inverter circuits dont pass thru my breaker panel if the inverter is in use.

I only have a 30amp inverter breaker in my main ac panel...I have no other breakers for those circuits when powered by my inverter.

So...I press inverter to be on it flashes "overload" while trying to provide power to the circuits but after a few seconds it shuts down with a overload error message and a red light.

Is my inverter pooched? Is there a way to test it?

Thanks again all!

[FlyingDiver]

Still not sure I understand the exact circumstances. With no external power (shore or generator), when you try to engage the inverter it overloads. When you DO have external power (generator), what happens? I'm trying to figure out if it's the inverter circuits or maybe the internal transfer switch.

One thing to test is to find the circuit breakers on the inverter, turn them off, and try again. That will tell you if it's a problem from the loads or internal to the inverter.

joe

[JimM68]

Everything sounds pretty normsl, except that you have an overload on the output side of the inverter...

Mine (magnum inverter/converter, 100 amp charger, 2000 watt inverter) has a 30 amp breaker in the main panel feeding into it (from shore power or genny)

It has 2 15 amp 115AC Circuits coming out. They are automatic, if I have shore power or genny, it does a bypass, other wise the inverter power these circuitds from the batteries.

The inverter doesn't go anywhere near your 110 ac breaker panel.
Kill all the outputs on the inverter circuits... a/c receptacles, microwave, entertianment systems, see if it will hold...

[garym114]

Originally Posted by Five2o

OK I can see I'm getting smarter now....thanks for the responses. I will quit looking for a short since I guess the inverter circuits dont pass thru my breaker panel if the inverter is in use.

I only have a 30amp inverter breaker in my main ac panel...I have no other breakers for those circuits when powered by my inverter.

So...I press inverter to be on it flashes "overload" while trying to provide power to the circuits but after a few seconds it shuts down with a overload error message and a red light.

Is my inverter pooched? Is there a way to test it?

Thanks again all!

AC is delivered to the inverter through the main breaker panel through the 30 amp breaker when you have AC. Loads on the output of the inverter, while on shore power or generator, get power from the 30 amp breaker, through the inverter to the loads. There are probably breakers on the output of the inverter for these loads. The inverter does not have to be on for this to happen.
Without shore power, with the inverter on, AC is delivered to the inverter loads.
You have other loads on your Main breaker panel, air conditioners, electric element in water heater, electric element in fridge. These can not be powered with the inverter.

As has been said, open the breakers on the output of the inverter and turn the inverter on to see if you still get the overload.

[Five2o]

OK I think I explained myself a bit poorly.

After reading responses I opened my inverter. There was a wire coming in labeled "AC input" and one labeled "AC output".

I disconnected all the marrets so there was no power being supplied to any draws (in my opinion haha) and the inverter hummed loudly and indicated "Overload" when turned on.

I dont think I have a short downstream of the inverter since all of those receptacles operate properly on the gen power if I turn it on.

One wierd thing that happened after fooling around with the inverter was when I turned the gen on to charge the batteries power came on after the normal 30 seconds or so and then turned off after about 5 seconds. I restated the gen with the same result 2 more times then on the 4th restart power came on and stayed on. I wonder if this is related?

I hope this clarifies my problem and thanks for all the help so far!

[FlyingDiver]

Yeah, sounds like it's an internal problem in the inverter. Might still be in warranty. Call the manufacturer tomorrow.

joe

[Five2o]

I'll give em a call if they are open tomorrow...otherwise Tuesday & will let all know the solution if there is one.

[Five2o]

Bleh...only a 1 year warranty. The tech I talked to said to send the unit back to Minniapolis for repair but I think I'll try it myself. Apparently I can order the 2 circuit boards that are normally the problem for $398 from them.

I guess I'll have to put a battery charger on my battery bank while I have the inverter out for a few days?

[TLGPE]

Hi Five2o,

Just checking to see if you got fixed.

I did notice that you were looking at 4 hundred bucks just for the PC boards. I'm new to the RV world, but otherwise, a 2KW inverter sells for about $150. If your charger is built into the invertor, baybe that's the reason, but if you feel handy, you may want to separate the charger from the invertor and both will be cheaper.

This may be a useless post, but something to think about.

Tom

[Five2o]

Well I recieved the boards 2 days ago & installed them. Inverter worked perfect for 2 days, then this morning again I got the "Battery Overload" message and inverter shut off.

I'm not sure what exactly to do now, I'm scared to turn the inverter on.

[John Hilley]

Were they new boards or boards you sent in for repair? If repaired they may have used the same spec parts, which may have been on the low side to start with. You may need parts with a higher voltage rating.